Rousseff Pushing Telecoms To Offer Unlimited Internet

04/29/2016 - 10h10

Among the carrots President Dilma Rousseff is hoping to dangle to garner popular support is the possible end to internet franchises. She will publicly announce her plans in advance of the final vote on whether impeachment should go ahead in the Senate on the 11 May.

According to a special report by Folha, next week Rousseff wants to propose a motion that will regularise certain polemic issues of the Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet.

The framework, a law that governs the use of the Internet in Brazil, was introduced in April 2014 and has since become one of the pride and joys of the President and her cabinet.

The law is in force, but the specific guidelines pertaining to the neutrality of the network, a principle that prevents data discrimination, have still not been properly defined.

Folha's report also reveals that the President intents to prohibit, via official decree, operators from restricting the speed of fixed internet or demanding extra contracts are put in place when the client exceeds the limits of their contract.

Over the past few weeks, some operators said that they would limit the navigation of fixed internet contracts and demand an extra contract be put in place to re-establish the connection.

The President of Anatel (the National Agency of Telecommunications), João Rezende, announced to the public that the era of unlimited internet with no cost was over. His speech was met with popular uproar, causing the agency, and other telecoms, to retract their statements.

Everything has been put on hold while the civil house and representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Communications and of Anatel discuss the terms of the decree.

Folha also reports that the President wants to announce her new plans for Internet regulations at the nationwide festivals celebrating May 1.

For telecom companies the Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet foreshadows the liberty of the business model - it includes the offer of internet by franchises. The operators say that this was accepted by the government as a possibility when the framework was debated and votes were cast.

Translated by GILLIAN SOPHIE HARRIS

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	Eduardo Knapp - 7.abr.2010/Folhapress
	Rousseff wants to propose a motion that will regularise certain polemic issues of the Brazilian Civil Rights Framework for the Internet